Releasable fastening device for fastening an article on a support frame

ABSTRACT

A fastening device includes a socket member having a socket hole, a locking ring including a pair of pivotal ring halves which are pivotable to move toward or away from each other between a ring-closing position and a ring-opening position, and a pair of plug members respectively connected to the ring halves. The plug members are insertable into the socket hole when the ring halves are in the ring-closing position. The fastening device may be used to fasten an infant seat to a stroller frame.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a fastening device, more particularly to a fastening device to fasten releasably an article to a support frame.

2. Description of the Related Art

Many forms of carriages have been provided in the art for carrying infants and children. Examples thereof are strollers, car seats, bassinets, etc. Typically, a stroller is provided with a wheeled frame and a seat for placement of an infant. In early designs of the strollers, seats are mounted on the frames thereof in a non-detachable manner. To meet the user's requirements, there has been developed a stroller which is provided with an infant seat that is detachable from a frame of the stroller. After the infant seat is detached from the frame of the stroller, it can be used as a car seat or a bassinet.

In order to attach an infant seat to a stroller frame, the stroller frame is generally provided with two spaced apart left and right fastening devices for connection with the infant seat. However, it is necessary to alter the original design or construction of the infant seat to match the fastening devices disposed on the stroller frame. As such, one form of fastening device can only accommodate one type of stroller frame and one type of infant seat so that the application thereof is limited. In addition, when a simple infant car seat or bassinet is not provided with any fastening means, it is impossible for the user to mount the same on a stroller frame, thereby causing inconveniences to the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a fastening device which has a simple construction and good adaptability to different carriages.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a fastening device which can be used to fasten easily an infant seat to a support frame, such as a stroller frame.

According to the present invention, a fastening device for fastening an article, such as an infant seat, to a support frame, such as a stroller frame, is provided. The fastening device comprises: a socket member adapted to be fixed to the support frame and having a socket hole; a locking ring adapted to connect with the article and including a pair of pivotal ring halves which are pivotable to move toward or away from each other between a ring-closing position and a ring-opening position; and a pair of plug members respectively connected to the ring halves. The plug members are insertable into the socket hole when the ring halves are in the ring-closing position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view showing an infant seat to be mounted on a support frame using a fastening device embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the fastening device;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view showing a portion of a handle of the infant seat;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the fastening device;

FIG. 5 is an elevation view showing the infant seat mounted on the support frame through the fastening device;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the fastening device; and

FIG. 7 is the same view as FIG. 6, but with a retaining pin being inserted into plug holes of plug members.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, a fastening device embodying the present invention is shown at 10 and is useful for attaching an infant seat 11 to a stroller frame 12 in a detachable manner. The infant seat 11 includes a support base 111 and a handle 112 connected pivotally to two sides of the support base 111. The support base 111 has left and right armrests 113. The handle 112 has two circular end portions 114 (only one is shown) connected respectively to the armrests 113. The stroller frame 12 includes left and right two mounting parts 121 (only one is shown) to support the infant seat 11. In this embodiment the mounting parts are 121 are frame rods that extend in a front-to-rear direction of the stroller frame 12.

The fastening device 10 includes a locking ring 2 to be attached to one of the circular end portions 114 of the handle 112 of the infant seat 11, a socket member 3 fixed to an inner side of the mounting part 121 of the stroller frame 12, and a plug retainer 4 connected pivotally to the socket member 3.

Referring to FIG. 4 in combination with FIGS. 1 and 2, the locking ring 2 includes a saddle piece 21 adapted to engage the armrest 113 of the infant seat 11, and a pair of ring halves 22 connected pivotally to the saddle piece 21. The saddle piece 21 has a substantially U-shaped cross section, and includes two opposite longitudinal walls 211 and a bight portion 212 bridging the longitudinal walls 211. The longitudinal walls 211 and the bight portion 212 cooperatively define a space to receive the armrest 113 so that the armrest 113 is embraced by the longitudinal walls 211 and the bight portion 212.

The ring halves 22 have first ends 221 which are connected respectively and pivotally to one of the longitudinal walls 211 in a longitudinally spaced-apart relationship by means of pivots 222, and second ends 220 opposite to the first ends 221. Two abutment blocks 22G are fixed to the ring halves 22 proximate to the second ends 220, respectively, through fasteners 224. Each abutment block 226 projects from the respective ring half 22 and is formed with a plug member 227 which is offset from the respective ring half 22. The abutment blocks 226 project from the ring halves 22 in a direction opposite to that of the saddle piece 21. The plug members 227 of the abutment blocks 226 are provided with plug holes 228 and engagement elements. The engagement elements include a pair of engagement recesses 231 formed in one of the plug members 227, and a pair of engagement protrusions 232 formed on the other plug member 227.

The ring halves 22 are pivotable to move toward or away from each other and to move between a ring-closing position (see FIG. 2) and a ring-opening position (see FIG. 1). When the ring halves 22 are closed, abutment surfaces 2261 of the abutment blocks 226 abut against each other, and the plug members 227 are stacked so that the plug holes 228 are aligned with each other.

While the ring halves 22 are pivoted to the saddle piece 21 in this embodiment, the ring halves 22 may also be connected pivotally to each other so as to be pivotable. In that case, it is unnecessary to use the saddle piece 21.

The socket member 3 includes a mounting plate 33 to be attached to one of the mounting parts 121 of the stroller frame 12, a socket wall 32 which defines a socket hole 31 with the mounting plate 33, a retaining hole 322 formed in the socket wall 32 in communication with the socket hole 31, a pair of spaced-apart lugs 34 projecting from the socket wall 32, and a latch 323 projecting from the socket wall 32. The socket hole 31 is to receive the stacked plug members 227.

The plug retainer 4 includes a retaining plate 41 which has a hinge end 412 hinged to the socket wall 32 through a hinge pin 42 that passes through the lugs 34. A retaining pin 413 projects from the retaining plate 41 to extend into the plug holes 228 of the plug members 227 through the retaining hole 322. A hook 414 projects from the retaining plate 41 to engage the latch 323 of the socket member 3.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 in combination with FIGS. 1 and 4, when the fastening device 10 is used, the mounting plate 33 of the socket member 3 is fixed to an inner side of the mounting part 121 of the stroller frame 12. When the infant seat 11 is to be attached to the stroller frame 12, the hook 414 is disengaged from the latch 323, and the retaining plate 41 is turned away from the socket wall 32 to remove the plug members 227 from the socket hole 31. Thereafter, the ring halves 22 are opened, and the saddle piece 21 is put on the armrest 113 of the infant seat 11 to embrace the same. When the ring halves 22 are provided around the circular end portion 114 of the handle 112 of the infant seat 11 and are closed until the abutment blocks 226 abut against each other, the plug members 227 are stacked so that the circular end portion 114 of the infant seat 11 is clamped by the ring halves 22. At this time, the engagement recesses 231 engage the respective engagement protrusions 232 to provide a measure of retention force to the plug members 227 so that the ring halves 227 are positioned relative to the circular end portion 114 of the infant seat 11.

Referring to FIG. 7 in combination with FIGS. 5 and 6, when the plug members 227 are inserted into the socket hole 31, the retaining hole 322 is aligned with the plug holes 228 of the plug members 227. When the retaining plate 41 is turned toward the socket wall 32 and the hook 414 engages the latch 323, the retaining pin 413 extends into the plug holes 228 through the retaining hole 322, thereby retaining the plug members 227 within the socket hole 31.

When the infant seat 11 is to be detached from the stroller frame 12, it is only necessary to disengage the hook 414 of the retaining plate 41 from the latch 323 to remove the plug members 227 from the socket hole 31.

The fastening device 10 has a simple construction which has been described hereinbefore. In addition, the fastening device 10 is easy to operate for mounting the infant seat 11 on the stroller frame 12 without interfering with the turning ability of the handles 112 of the infant seat 11. With the fastening device 10 according to the present invention, the infant seat 11 may be attached to the stroller frame 12 without the need to alter the original construction of the infant seat 11. Since the fastening device 10 may be used to fasten many types of infant seat constructions, adaptability of the fastening device 10 to different carriages is good.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretations and equivalent arrangements. 

1. A fastening device for fastening an infant seat to a support frame, the fastening device comprising: a socket member adapted to be fixed to the support frame and having a socket hole; a locking ring adapted to connect with the infant seat, and including a pair of pivotal ring halves which are pivotable to move toward or away from each other between a ring-closing position and a ring-opening position; and a pair of plug members respectively connected to said ring halves, said plug members being insertable into said socket hole when said ring halves are in said ring-closing position.
 2. The fastening device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said locking ring further includes a saddle piece adapted to engage an armrest of the infant seat, each of said ring halves having opposite first and second ends, said first ends of said ring halves being pivoted to said saddle piece, said plug members being connected respectively to said ring halves proximate to said second ends of said ring halves.
 3. The fastening device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said saddle piece has a substantially U-shaped cross-section and includes two opposite longitudinal walls and a bight portion bridging said longitudinal walls, said first ends of said ring halves being pivoted to one of said longitudinal walls at two longitudinally spaced-apart positions.
 4. The fastening device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said locking ring further includes two abutment blocks respectively connected to said ring halves proximate to said second ends, said plug members being formed integrally with said abutment blocks, respectively.
 5. The fastening device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said abutment blocks have abutment surfaces which abut against each other when said ring halves are in said ring-closing position.
 6. The fastening device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plug retainer connected to said socket member, said plug members are in a stack when said ring halves are in said ring-closing position, said plug members having plug holes which are aligned with each other when said plug members are stacked, said plug retainer being extendable into said plug holes when said plug members are inserted into said socket hole.
 7. The fastening device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said socket member further includes a mounting plate adapted to be mounted on the support frame, a socket wall connected to said mounting plate and defining said socket hole with said mounting plate, and a retaining hole formed in said socket wall.
 8. The fastening device as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a plug retainer which has a retaining plate connected pivotally to said mounting plate, and a retaining pin projecting from said retaining plate to extend into said socket hole for engagement with said plug members.
 9. The fastening device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said plug retainer further includes a hook provided on said retaining plate, said socket member further including a latch to engage said hook.
 10. The fastening device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plug members include engagement elements which are interengageable when said ring halves are in said ring-closing position.
 11. The fastening device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said engagement elements include an engagement recess and an engagement protrusion.
 12. A fastening device comprising: a socket member having a socket hole; a locking ring including a pair of pivotal ring halves which are pivotable to move toward or away from each other between a ring-closing position and a ring-opening position; and a pair of plug members respectively connected to said ring halves, said plug members being insertable into said socket hole when said ring halves are in said ring-closing position.
 13. The fastening device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plug retainer disposed on said socket member for retaining said plug members within said socket hole. 